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Ahh! I’ve been sluggish. Gomen nasai. I know I’ve promised before that I’ll be having a recap for Hotaru no Hikari Season 2, but sad to say, Summer’s Desire is eating all my time. So, just to give this jdrama enough credits and love, I’ve decided to compile the highlights and funny parts.

Just a thought

Given the fact that Season 1 already set the bar high for the drama, I can definitely say that I’m still hanging in a balance. I still find Hotaru no Hikari refreshingly funny and relaxing. And it gets funnier as Seno-san adds his quirky character, and not to mention, his incredibly skimpy pants. There’s also a mystery to be solved… Does Buchou already has a daughter?

Hmmm… I don’t know really. For sure, the mystery woman is definitely not Buchou’s wife in the first season. Who could she be? Will Seno-san fall for our Hotaru? Will Hotaru finally graduate from being the ultimate himono onna? Can Buchou transform Hotaru? What will happen to our adorable couple? Guess, we just have to wait and find out ourselves.

Episode 1

Amemiya Hotaru is back after three years working abroad. You think she changed? Nope! She’s still the same naive and innocent himono onna (dried up woman) who loves to roll over the floor and drink canned beer. However, I think she’s the only one who didn’t change. There were new office mates: the overly laid-back temporary worker Seno-san, the uncaring Sakuragi-san and others. Even Buchou seems to have moved on. And as for the shocking news ever: Yamada-neesan married Futatsugi-san. Heh?

First day at work: Hotaru meets Seno, who seems to associate her with a dokyunko (seal). Seno-san plays a prank over Hotaru and says that dokyunko is a famous band. Poor little Hotaru, however, has no idea what a dokyunko is and gamely sings the dyokyunko song.

Buchou caught the wacky duo in action.

At the office, Buchou and Hotaru acts af if they’re not on lovey-dovey mode. But at home…they sure are!

Buchou: Three years ago… You left Japan for a renovation project in Hong Kong. When I was in Narita Airport you were in tears in front of me. You were sobbing hysterically and were suspected to be an illegal immigrant. And you almost face deportation. Do you remember?Hotaru: That is…me.Buchou: You were crying but you were forcing yourself to smile. On that day, you remember what you said?Hotaru: I’m not an illegal immigrant!!!Buchou: I wasn’t talking about those!Hotaru: Well…Buchou: Viva…long distance love.

And the couple cheers on Viva Long Distance Love!

Buchou and Hotaru: From today onwards, we will be separated into Tokyo and Hong Kong. But we won’t lose and we won’t cry, won’t forget each other. Viva Long Distance Love!

And the comic banter turns serious as Buchou expresses his sentiments about Hotaru’s insensible stance to their relationship. He then frankly admits that after 3 years, he already changed and so must Hotaru. His statement made Hotaru ponder on things. And cutting their heart-to-heart talk is a mysterious call.

Hotaru tries to poke her nose on Buchou’s mystery caller. But since it’s Hotaru, she’ll be doing it like this…

At work, Hotaru’s office mates seems to be too apathetic in doing their job and so she tries to “inspire” them a little bit. But still, it proves no use. She then learns that Buchou met up with a beautiful, classy woman at a bar yesternight. I thought that she’ll be uncomfortable with the news but… She’s much too concerned with other matters…

Buchou’s reaction after hearing what’s troubling Hotaru.

Hotaru: I’ve been trying to make sense of this for a while…Buchou: What?Hotaru: My balance.Buchou: What about it?Hotaru: My savings account… something about it….Buchou: Let me see that…You have 47 yen.Hotaru: Yes.Buchou: 47 yen!!!Hotaru: What does it mean?Buchou: How do you figure? You’ve been in charge of a HongKong project team for three years and what you have is 47 yen balance? How is that possible?!

Then phone call. Buchuo is set to go out for the night yet again.

Hotaru: You’re leaving me and my 47 yen?Buchou: Even if we talk about our future, we can do nothing with just 47 yen.Hotaru: Can we do something, if I had 470 billion yen?Buchou: When you have 470 billion yen, we’ll talk about what to do then.Hotaru: Heh!

When Buchou went out, Hotaru had a night out on her own: Bonding time with Sakuragi-san and Seno-san. However, Sakuragi-san left early and so Seno-san endures the sole responsibility of taking care of a drunk Hotaru.While Hotaru is having the time of her life, Buchou is anxiously waiting for her, all dressed up with Hotaru’s pride-shattering souvenir costume.

So sad…but still funny :p

Waking next to a guy makes Hotaru as excited as a little girl with a new-found toy. Hehehe.Silly girl! Good thing that she comes to her senses and realizes the folly of her actions. Seno-san, on the other hand, doesn’t mind whatsoever. And the two reports hurriedly to the office.

There seems to be a problem with Sakuragi-san’s work though. And as her “Senpai”, Hotaru takes action. In the end, Hotaru saves the day. But! She’s still not off the hook. She has yet to face Buchou and the issue of her not going home.

Seno-san, the ever uncaring dude, hands-in something that Hotaru left the other night: Her stockings!

Hotaru is such a terrible liar.

Hotaru: Did you see?Buchou: I saw.Hotaru: You saw?Buchou: I saw!Hotaru: It may look like stockings but…This is actually a hat! It fit perfectly and it is a wonderful hat for summer!

Hotaru’s shocked expression when Buchou proposed.

Hotaru: I’m very happy that I tried my best during these past three years. I was very happy. Happy and I just wanted to share it with you. Trying my best is thanks to you. I thought that because you are waiting for me, so… Thank you very much for these past three years. Your existence supported me through these three years. Thank you very much. From now on I will try to do my best alone.Buchou: With that 47 yen?Hotaru: I have to rent an apartment.Buchou: With that 47 yen?!Hotaru: As a fabulous OL (office lady), from now on, I will become a fabulous woman both in career and personal life.Buchou: Impossible! Until you die it’s impossible.Hotaru: Shut up. I’m making my commitment, please don’t bother me.Buchou: What do you mean by “Fabulous OL?” Does a “Fabulous OL” wears stockings on her head and insists that it’s a hat? Also, does a “Fabulous OL” forget her used stocking in the night out like an idiot? And in the company elevator, does a “Fabulous OL mess around dokyunko, dokyunko meow meow.Hotaru: Buchou are you feeling jealous?Buchou: And not only that you were told that “You look alike dokyunko”.Hotaru: You were jealous, weren’t you?Buchou: Arahiyama’s dokyunko is actually the dokyunko that is in Arashiyama Aquarium.Hotaru: Aquarium?Buchou: Dokyunko is a seal (Sea Lion).Hotaru: Then dokyunko dokyunko?Buchou: From performance with the seals. Of course, if you don’t come back to Japan for three years, you’ll be left out in the seal information.Hotaru: Then Seno-san spent the night with a woman who looks like a seal?Buchou: It must be a water accident for him. Well, as for you, you must have been really happy to wake up next to a guy.Hotaru: Why do you know that?Buchou: I told you. I’m different from those times. During these 3 year you weren’t here, I was thinking about you deeply. And now that you’re back, let’s get married. From now on, the two of us are a married couple. You’ll always be my woman.

The drama’s pilot episode will air on July 07. And I’m so counting the days. I’m intrigue with Mukai Osamo’s character. I think he’ll be playing as Buchou Takano’s love rival. If that’s the case, it’ll gonna be a tough fight. I’m glad that they added Mukai in the cast. I really adore him in Seigi no Mikata. Speaking of which, there should also be a sequel for Seigi no Mikata, ne?

The popular 2007 drama series “Hotaru no Hikari” is returning for a second season, it was learned on Sunday. Haruka Ayase (25) will once again play the starring role.

Originally based on a shojo manga by Satoru Hiura, the first series told the story of a young office lady named Hotaru, who has no interest in romance and instead prefers spending her time lazily at home. However, her life changes when circumstances lead her to live under the same roof as her boss. Although the first series focused on Hotaru’s reawakening to love, “Hotaru no Hikari 2” will be more about her path towards possible marriage.

Naohito Fujiki (37) will also return for the new series. NTV plans to broadcast the show on Wednesdays at 10:00pm, starting in July.

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